Language
The Godzone Dictionary: A language guide for non-Kiwis
Sweet as, heaps, aroha, hard case - Kiwi vernacular is pretty unique. But no more! Language expert Max Cryer has written the definitive guide to speaking like a New Zealander. Audio
Japanese stories for English readers
Our next guest has been based in Japan for 20 years, teaching translation studies and literature. Richard Donovan has just finished a book translating modern Japanese short stories into English for… Audio
Cook Islanders celebrate culture and language
The annual Cook Islands Language Week is underway with New Zealanders of Cook Islands heritage urged to speak the language to keep it alive. Audio
Word nerd? Try 'Something Rhymes with Purple'
Word nerds, Scrabble geeks, and language freaks are going to enjoy 'Something Rhymes with Purple'! Maggie Hough emailed me at pods@rnz.co.nz about it, as it's one of her favourite shows. It's an… Audio
Te reo Māori in classrooms programme begins with 150 teachers
About 700 teachers have signed up for a $12 million programme to increase te reo Māori in all classrooms, and 150 of them are already beginning beginning their reo haerenga.
Ellen Jovin: On the road with Grammar Table
Professional 'grammar nerd' Ellen Jovin returns to the show to answer a selection of Radio New Zealand listener questions about grammar. Audio
NZ's vernacular: A bit strange, eh?
That was some current and former politicians using a cornerstone of New Zealand vernacular, 'eh', in Parliament.
We're frequent users of 'eh', and new research has found it's used more by men than… Audio
Ellen Jovin: Taking grammar to the streets
Self-confessed language nerd, Ellen Jovin set up Grammar Table outside her Upper West Side apartment in New York and started answering questions about grammar. Audio
Macrons added to NZ's longest place name - and about 300 others
The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa has made 824 Māori place names official.
Accepting our bad accent
Leaders are often criticised for their accent - Simon Bridges' 'moi', John Key's chewed vowels, Jacinda Ardern's habit of saying her 'T's like 'd's. But in Stuff a British writer says we shouldn't… Audio
The point of exclamation points!
An article in the BBC posits the danger of over using punctuation marks and Why every unnecessary use of the enthusiastic punctuation says 'please like me'. The writer insists we instead use full… Audio
Lesley Gray: Stigmatising weight terms add to existing discrimination and bias
A new study shows there is a need for care in the inappropriate use of commonly used medical terms like 'fat' and 'morbidly obese' in New Zealand. Senior lecturer at the University of Otago… Audio
Word games: 'A Way With Words'
'A Way With Words' is a long-running US phone-in show that answers listener questions about the origins and use of interesting words and phrases. For example, when do clothes become laundry? Where… Audio
Around the world in 80 words
Wordsmith Paul Anthony Jones discusses his new book, Around the World in 80 Words, A Journey through the English language, which offers an insight into how 80 different place names are part of the… Audio
Crown launches 'snap-reo' to boost number of reo speakers
The Crown will release a suite of short digital language lessons this week as part of its new Māori language strategy Te Maihi Karauna.
The Southland accent - a rolling change
The Southland accent has a distinctive burr, and new research is revealing how those 'rolled Rs' have changed over time. Audio
Our Changing World for 23 May 2019
Southlanders are rolling their Rs more - and less - than 100 years ago, and the chemical element fluorine. Audio
Student speeches about racism and equality
The National Race Unity speech awards were held over the weekend, where high school students share their thoughts about how we can better race relations. Video, Audio
Accepted Scrabble words gets an update
Scrabble has accepted 2,862 new words. Youth culture slang phrases have been added in the first update since 2015. These include sharenting, blud and bae. Others such as incel, antivaxxer and fatberg… Audio
